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The Invalides Quarter is one of the most popular in Paris. Home of the soaring Eiffel Tower, the most famous symbol of Paris. Explore the Champs-Elysees with it's wide boulevard, claimed by Parisians to be the most beautiful in the world and home to exclusive shops, cafes and Le Lido cabaret. At the end is the impressive Arc de Triomphe. Visit the Louvre Museum, the national art museum of France and the Musee Rodin, where important works of the sculptor Auguste Rodin are on display. Enjoy a magical time in the "City of Lights" and a never-ending collection of sights and sounds found nowhere else in the world.
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Raised over command of Napoleon Ier, the Arch of Triumph dominates the Avenue of the Champs-ElysÈes. Its construction began in 1806 and ended in 1836, 15 years after the Napoleon's death.
It is possible to reach the roof of the monument. The perspective of The Louvre - Concorde Square - Grand Arch of Defense is superb. It's one of the most beautifull panorama of Paris.
The site on which the monument stands is called the Place de líŠtoile, because of the multicolored star built into the pavement of the roundabout.
The arch is 50 meters high, 45 meters wide, and 22 meters thick and is decorated with low relieves which evoke the battles of the French first Republic and Empire periods (1789-1815). Under the arch, the Unknown Soldier Tomb can be found (a soldier of the First World War).
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The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is the most famous avenue in the world, 2 km long and 70 meters wide. It's a marvellous place for walking (day and night). You can admire the perspective of from Arch of Triumph to Concorde Square.
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The Notre-Dame Cathedral, on the ‘le de la CitÈ, an island in the Seine River that is the original birthplace of Paris. The cathedral is almost nine hundred years old.A little less 200 years were necessary to build the " cathedral of the Cathedrals ". Maurice de Sully, bishop in 1160, decided the construction of imposing building. Theatre of the famous novel of Victor Hugo " Notre Dame de Paris ".
The edifice is public property; however, daily services are still held within. You can visit the interior, climb the towers. Difficult to do better to appreciate the roofs of historical Paris and also the gargoyles and chimeras, sculptures representing imaginary or monstrous animals laid out on both sides of the gallery connecting the two towers.
Inside the Cathedral, The rose windows, were removed during the Second World War and reinstalled after the war ended. The cathedral overall is notable among Gothic cathedrals in that the entire edifice was very faithful to the plans of the original architect when constructed.The acoustic quality of Notre Dame contribute to the success of this architectural phenomenon.
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The Louvre Museum is one of the world's largest (more than 75000 paintings) and best-known museums of fine art. From a castle in 1190 to his completion in 1870, the palace of the Louvre gradually extended on right bank from Seine.
The international reputation of the museum of the Louvre sometimes makes forget that at his origin it was conceived to be a Palace.Its evolution was marked by the great events of the French history and by the succession of architects and decorators who affixed to them marque.
FranÁois Ier decides, in 1546, to transform the antique fortress into luxurious residence. In the west, Catherine de MÈdicis makes build an immense palace that it leaves unfinished, the Tuileries.In 1594, Henri IV decides to link the Louvre with Tuileries in a gigantic palace. It is the " Grand Dessein". Under Louis XIII and Louis XIV, the architects Le Mercier then Le Vau build the "Cour CarrÈe".
Poussin, Romanelli and Le Brun decorate the apartments and the " galleries ". But this golden age of the Louvre stops abruptly when, in 1678, Louis XIV chooses Versailles like center of power.
In 1989, famous glass Pyramid,designed by the Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei became the new entrance to the museum .
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The chateau and the Gardens of Versailles which count among the most prestigious monuments of the world's artistic heritage and are certainly the finest and most complete achievement of 17th century French art. King Louis XIII's former hunting lodge was transformed and enlarged by his son Louis XIV, who installed his court and government here.
The Chateau was embellished with new apartments during the 18th century, in the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI. The royal family and the court were forced to leave Versailles on October 6th 1789, after the first days of the French Revolution. In 1837, King Louis-Philippe inaugurated the Museum in the Chateau, devoted to glorious events in the history of France.
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The Eiffel Tower became a figure so much a symbol of Paris which it is quite difficult to see one without thinking of the other. It is certainly the most known monument in the world, in any case more photographed.
Its construction begins on January 23, 1887 with the engineer Gustave Eiffel. The assembly of the 15 000 metal parts finished in Mars 1889 and symbolized the World's Fair which took place in the Champs de Mars.
Dedicated to the demolition and often criticized, the Eiffel Tower was little by little incorporated in the Parisian landscape at the point to become inseparable about it. With its 310 meters top and 7 000 tons, it was the world's tallest building until 1930.
Since 1986, a new lighting emphasizes the night, its fantastic metal frame and consolidates the Capital of France in its fame of City of Light.
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